Well, I certainly seem to be hitting the judges' funny bones in the Slingink Scribbling Slam (an annual, six-round short story writing competition run by the Slingink writers' community).My story The Unvarnished Truth came top in Round 1, whilst my story Curtains has come top in Round 2.What both these stories have in common is that they are humorous - at least they're supposed to be, and apparently the judges think so, too.I did however read somewhere that during times of economic crises people prefer to read uplifting or light pieces of writing rather than doom-and-gloom or dark pieces. So perhaps I was right to concentrate on humour this year!Anyhow, Round 3's been submitted. Let's see how it fares.http://slingink.com/

My humorous cautionary tale, Gifted, was published yesterday on the Every Day Fiction site (EDF).What I enjoy most about EDF is that the daily story can be from anywhere in the world, in virtually any genre, and the stories are from people from all walks of life.Gifted is the tale of a meek, mild-mannered office worker who sudden acquires the means to avenge himself on everyone who's ever made his life hell. And if you're wondering about the picture, the story does feature an aquarium full of piranahs,You can read it by clicking on the link below:http://www.everydayfiction.com/gifted-by-paul-a-freeman/#comments

I was pleased to discover that my humorous crime story, The Unvarnished Truth, has won Round One (fiction category) of the Slingink Scribbling Slam.I was also happy to see that a fellow writer from Abu Dhabi (and a member of my small writers' group) came second - based on the judge's overall impression rather than on points. It show we're doing something right in the writers' group.Anyhow, The Unvarnished Truth started life as a piece of flash fiction (350 words) that I fleshed out to a 1,600-word short story. It features Detective Inspector Williamson, my stock policeman character, and is, I believe, his sixth published outing. The story doesn't feature a murder (for once), but instead is a humorous piece. D.I. Williamson is tasked by his superior officer with discovering whether or not a piece of 'Shippendeal' furniture, bought at a flea market, is the genuine article. Unfortunately for Williamson, his carreer might hang in the balance depending on the answer!My second entry for the Slingink Scribbling Slam has been submitted, so I'll bask in my own glory until the results of Round Two.

My humorous short story Gifted has been accepted for publication by Everyday Fiction. Publication will be on October 17th - the coveted 'Monday' spot.Post-weekend slots are usually reserved for humorous short stories, as a remedy / medicine to counteract the Monday blues.In the age old tradition of H. G. Wells's story The Man Who Could Work Miracles, Gifted examines the unexpected consequences of being blessed / cursed with supernatural powers.